Predetermined feed selection for multi-station inserters



E. SATHER July 12, 1966 INVENTOR. Ezzgefzeaffzef E y ATTZRNEYS July 12, 1966 E. SATHER 3,260,517

PREDETERMINED FEED SELECTION FOR MULTI-STATION INSERTERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 22, 1963 I NVENTOR.

Eugene ,afjzef BY 2 n MM- avw W M 7% y AT ORNEYS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 l l Nm Mm www QW a@ @zze jajzef RNW E. SATHER Eug PREDETERMINED FEED SELECTION FOR MULTI-STATION INSERTERS Filed NOV. 22, 1963 July 12, 1966 AT R EYS United States Patent O M 3,260,517 PREDETERMINED FEED SELECTION FR MULTI-STATIN INSERTERS Eugene Sather, Washington, NJ., assigner to Bell & Howell Company, Chicago, lill., a corporation of Iliinois Filed Nova 22, 1963, Ser. No. 325,637 11 Claims. (Cl. 270-58) This invention relates to improvements in the general class of Abusiness machines commonly referred to as inserters, land more particularly concerns a novel method of and means for selectively feeding inserts from a plurality of insert stations to collating means.

Business machines of the class identir'ied as inserters, and sometimes also referred to as envelope handling or `stuffing machines are constructed and arranged for generally high speed cycling automatically to gather inserts, namely pieces of material to be collated and most generally to -be inserted or stuffed into envelopes for mailing. Example of a commercially important inserter is disclosed in great detail in A. H. Williams Patent No. 2,325,455 issued July 27, 1943, relating to a multi-station inserter in respect to which the present invention is especially adaptable and useful. Machines of this type are presently produced and marketed by the assignee of the present application, and well known in the market as the Phillipsburg inserters.

In such machines, numerous and varied settings and adjustments are provided for, but heretofore `adjustments with respect to the inserts to be colla-ted or assembled together during high speed continuous operation have necessarily been effected as changeovers vbetween runs 'or as pre-run set-ups, For example, in a multi-station inserter where lless than all of the insert stations, or only selected ones of the insert stations were to be used for any given run, suitable adjustments can be made to de-activate any selected station, or reactivate any selec-ted station, but, in prior machines, always preliminary to the particular run of material to be collated or assembled and inserted in envelopes for mailing.

In the prior arrangements, it has been necessary to preprocess the material to be colla-tedaccording to distinct categories before running the same through the machine. For example, in preparing mailings for various categories of customer, or when billing or invoicing where various degrees of delinquency must be noticed by appropriate selected inserts, it has heretofore been necessary to separate `the master documents such as invoices or bil-ls into `separate piles or stacks to be run through the machine separately and with the feed mechanism of the several insert station o-f the machine adjusted or set in accordance with any particular stack of master documents to be processed through the machine, since once the machine was set the identical inserts or set of inserts would necessarily be collated with each successive master document in the automatic operation of the machine.

According to a principal object of the present invention, la new and improved method of and means for collating selected inserts from a plurality of insert stations with successive master documents, 'or as indicated by master documents, are provided, whereby in the ycontinuous automatic running of the machine random categories of insert requirements are automatically accommodated for the individual successive master documents.

Another object of the invention is to improve the conveniences and speed of collating selective inserts according to individual variable requirements during continuous, high speed operation of an inserter.

A further object is to provide a new and improved method of and means for selective inserting.

3,260,5l7 Patented July 12, 1966 ICC Yet another object of the invention is to provide new and improved method of and means for selective inserting, readily adaptable to existing insert machines with only minor changes and comprising primarily the addition of electrical components and circuitry.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide new and improved selective inserting means for automatic inserters enabling operation of the machine in the standard manner or for selective inserting as desired.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved selective inserting control arrangement adapted to serve as optional equipment for a standard or existing insert machine.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE l is a fragmentary perspective view of an inserter embodying features of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a schematic sectional elevational detail view showing the master document station and associated sensing means, Iand may be considered as taken in a vertical plane substantially along the 'line II-II of FIG- URE l;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentaryplan view of master document represented by a punch card;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of a master control panel and;

FIGURE 5 is a schematic view" illustrating the electrical apparatus Iand certain associated mechanism involved in the operation of the machine for predetermined feed selecting in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

In FIGURE l is shown only that portion of an inserter adjacent to the front of a master document station 10 and an insert supply stations 11, which may be one of any preferred plurality of such stations. For brevity of description and lto concentrate in the present disclosure on -features directly concerned with the invention, the comprehensive disclosure of the complete machine contained in the aforesaid Williams Patent 2,325,455 is incorporated herein by reference. In such machine there may be any number of the insert supply stations 11 as preferred since the mechanism for each such insert station is merely duplicated to meet requirements. It will be assumed herein that the machine has a total of four stations, namely, the master document -station 10 and three of the insert supply stations 11, although by simple duplication any additional number of insert supply stations may be utilized. Commercial machines are now produced with up to a total of eight stations.

While the arrangement may be such as to simply restack the master documents 12 after withdrawal from the master document station 10, which in this instance is the first station in the series on the machine, in the present instance as representative of the more usual situation, the apparatus is constructed and arranged to effect feeding of the master documents 12 successively together with selected inserts 13 from the insert stations 11 onto an insert track 14 on a worktable 15. In the insert track which runs longitudinally of the machine, conveyor means including upstanding forwardly actuated conveyor fingers or lugs 17 move the master and insert documents longitudinally along the insert track 14 to the point at which the material is inserted into a mailing envelope if that is desired, in the usual manner and .as taught in the aforesaid patent.

As the machine operates in a cycle of operation, gripper arms 18 respectively associated with the several stations of the machine are rocked by an overhead rock shaft 19 on which they are carried to swing between inward and outward limits with respect to and over the insert track 14. As the gripper arms 18 are swung in unison to their 1nward limit, gripper jaws 20 thereon function to grip therein the margin of the lowermost document of the stack in the associated station bin, if prepared or conditioned to be so gripped. Where, as in the illustrated example, the master documents 12 `are in the form of cards such as the punch cards now commonly utilized for invoicing, for dividend and refund and other checks in payment, for record cards, and the like, a push feed knife device 21 (FIG. 2) coordinated in operation with the associated gripper arm 18 feeds the lowermost of the cards 12 a predetermined distance forwardly. This positions its forward margin between spaced upper and lower guide plates 22 and 23 which are provided with a suitable forwardly opening clearance cut-out 24 into which the gripper jaws 20 project for engaging the margin of the fed card. Then as the gripper arm 18 swings in return direction outwardly over and relative to the insert track 14, the jaws 20 release the withdrawn master document card 12 when it reaches superposition to the insert track 14. Further outward movement of the released document is prevented by upstanding stop ngers or arms 25 along the outer side of the insert track. Cyclically swingably depressible holddown shoe members 27 and 28 press the document down onto the insert track for advancement along the track by the conveyor lug 17.

To similar effect, if an insert 13 in the stack supported in the bin of any of the insert stations 11 serially along the table 13 is to be fed to 4the insert track, selective preparing means comprising a suction device including one or more suction cups 29 operatively disposed under the forward margin of the stacked documents will engage and bend down such margin of the lowermost of the inserts into position to be grasped by the gripper jaws of the associated gripper arm 18. In the return swinging of the gripper arm in its operative cycle, such lowermost insert will be withdrawn from the stack and fed to the insert track 14. Since the insert conveyor is activated to advance the documents along the conveyor during the inward swinging movement in the stroke cycle of the gripper arms, collation of the inserts with the master document occurs in the step-by-step advance of the master document past the successive insert stations 11 in the continuous operation of the machine.

Normal operating sequences are under the control of electrical and pneumatic circuitry, as exemplified in Patent 2,325,455, including double thickness and miss detectors, and the like, useful in the automatic, cyclical, and substantially foolproof operation of the machine.

By the present invention selection of any of the inserts 13 to become assembled with, or at least to be fed to the insert track 14 on the demand of, each successive one of the master documents 12 is provided for during the continuous and uninterrupted operation of the machine at its normal high speed. Such speed may be up to 4500 filled envelopes per hour. To this end, each of the master document cards 12 is provided with means which will call for or signal which, if any, of the inserts from the series of insert stations is to be collated with it as it is advanced to the envelope lling or stacking station of the machine, or if the master document is not to be mailed what inserts in the series are to be collated for mailing or any other desired purpose. sirably comprise a device which is readable or sensible to a detecting or sensing means such as an electric eye or diode arrangement. One such signaling means, as shown, comprises predetermined signaling location areas 30 on a convenient portion of the master document card 12, such as on the forward margin, there being one such signa-ling location area for each of the insert stations 11. In a practical form for ready reference identification such areas may be suitably impressed or outlined on the reading or inspectable face of the card as by an inscribed Such signaling means deprinted geometric ligure outline, herein disclosed as a circle. For actual signaling, a readable device suitable to the detecting means to be used in the system is provided in the location areas 30 selected for signaling in respect to the respective master document 12. For light or photosensitive reading or detecting, a spot of suitable color may be impressed in or on the location area 30. In the exemplary disclosure herein, a hole 31 is punched through the card 12 in the selected area or areas, in FIG- URE 3 one of such holes being shown, and it being indicated in dot dash outline how similar such holes 31 are adapted to be punched through the remaining location areas 30. This is a convenient arrangement Where the master documents 12 comprise punched record cards as are now commonly used in punched card record keeping.

In the arrangement disclosed, eight combinations are possible in the four station machine in respect to insert requirements for the respective master documents 12. An absence of punch holes 31 means that such master card 12 will run through and be inserted in an envelope with no other material collated therewith. Single punchings at any one of the three location areas call for inserts from only the indicated insert stations. Plural inserts are called for by any desired combination of the punched holes 31. The master document cards 12 may be stacked in any random fashion so far as the insert demands thereof are concerned, but with all of the location areas 30 properly aligned to be scanned, herein at the front of the stack. As the knife feed pusher 21 feeds each successive one of the cards 12 into position between the guide plates 22 and 23, as demonstrated in FIGURE 2, each of the signaling location areas 30 registers with an aligned respective set of sighting or scanning apertures 32 .and 33, respectively, provided foreach area in the superposed spaced guide plates. Light from suitable source, such as a respective lamp 34 aligned with each set of the scanning apertures, directs the light therethrough if the aligned signaling area 30 has a signaling hole 31 therethrough. In the absence of such signaling hole 31, the light beam is blocked. -Each of the lamps 34 is supported replaceably in a socket 35 carried by a bracket 37 mounted suitably on the machine frame adjacent to one of the guide plates, herein the upper guide plate 22. Mounted below the guide plate 23 and aligned with each of the scanning apertures 33 therein is a respective sensing photodiode 38 carried by a suitable bracket 39.

In each feeding cycle of the machine with the predetermined insert selecting system in operation, as each of the master document cards 12 is fed into position to be scanned by the scanning diodes 38, the presence of one l or more of the signaling holes 31 is detected by the aligned diode in each instance and an electric signal transmitted to an electrical operating system which may conveniently be housed in a suitable cabinet 40 at a convenient location on or adjacent to the associated machine. Through the operating system a respective solenoid actuated valve assembly 41 associated with each of the suction devices 29 at the insert stations 11 is actuated in proper timed sequence if an insert has been indicated to be collated with the document card 12 responsible for the given signa-l combination.

As depicted in FIGURES 4 and 5, the operating circuitry means comprise an arrangement whereby the inserter can be operated in normal fashion according to which any or all of the stations 10 and 11 will function in a preset, repetitive fashion under the usual controls of the machine. When master document oriented feed selection is desired, a main system switch 42 is closed as by manipulating -a switch actuator 43 on a control panel 44 which is located at a convenient place on the machine. This closes a main power supply circuit 45 leading from a power source such as may supply volts alternating current. Closing of this main power circuit is evidenced visually by lighting of a lamp 47, and results in energizing a low direct current voltage supply converter 48 with which the sensing lamps 34 are connected to remain lighted while the system switch is closed. Closing of the system switch 42 also energizes a converter 48a for supplying direct current which may be on the order of 24 volts. Closing of the main power supply circuit 45 also energizes respective amplifiers 49 with which the photodiodes are respectively connected.

Any combination of controlled and normal operation of the insert stations 11 is provided for through respective switches 50 adapted to be actuated by respective switch actuators 51 on the control panel 44. Turning any of the switches 50 to the olf position inactivates automatic selective running control of the associated insert station 11 so that such station may run normally continuously to supply lan insert for each of the master documents or such station may be inactivated by the normal control means on the machine. For purposes of description, all of the switches 50 have been shown in the on position. Each of these station control switches 50 has three sets of contacts. One set 52 is closed in the off position to close an electrical circuit 53 for continuity in the normal miss and double detection means at the respective insert station. In the on position of the associated control switch 50, the contacts 52 are opened. A second set of contacts 54 functions in the on position of the switch 50 to make ready the 24 volt D.C. operating circuit for the associated insert station. A third set of contacts 55 closed in the on position of the switch 50 in each instance completes a circuit 57 connected to the main power circuit 45 to energize the solenoid of the vacuum valve assembly 41 to shut the valve and thus disable the associated suction device 29. In the off position of the switch 50, the contacts 54 and 55 are opened as the contacts 52 are closed.

For ready identification, the three insert station control circuits are identified as 11a, 11b and 11c, for controlling operation of the first, second and third insert stations, respectively, in series beyond the master document station 10.

Since in the present instance the scanning lamps 34 and the diodes 38 are continuously activated While the selector control system is in operation, a gating device comprising a limit switch 58 and a keying relay 59 is provided for normally disabling the insert station controlling circuits through normally open respective contacts 60 therein. In coordinated relation with the feeding of one of the master documents 12 into position in the scanning mechanism, a cycling cam 61 closes the normally open limit switch 58, thus energizing the relay 59 and closing the contacts 60. If at this moment any of the diodes 38 is energized by light reaching it through the appropriate signaling hole 31 in the card 12, an amplifier relay 62 is energized to close a set of contacts 63 in its associated insert station controlling circuit. As to any diode 38 that is blocked from its light source by an unpunched area of the master document card intervening between it and its associated lamp 34, the involved amplifier relay 62 opens its contacts 63 and that control circuit remains inactive. In each of the operating circuits a signal lamp 64 located on the control panel 44 lights when a circuit is closed and advises the operator 0f the machine that the respective circuit is functioning and also which of the inserts is being called for by the master document card 12 at that moment being scanned.

Activation of each of the control circuits effects energizing, in due time, of a relay 65 to close a normally open contact 67 to provide a holding circuit for itself, and to open a normally closed contact 68 in the associated vacuum valve solenoid circuit whereby to deenergize or release the solenoid and mechanically open the associated vacuum valve to supply vacuum to the suction device 29 of the respective station. Through this arrangement, the signals calling for collation of the respective inserts are stored for the succeeding machine cycle in which the master document card 12 which has initiated the signal arrives in alignment with the respective insert station. In respect to the first insert station 11 to which the control circuit 11a is related, the stored signal results in withdrawal of an insert from the first insert station on the machine cycle immediately succeeding that in which the master document card 12 was deposited on the insert track 14 of the machine.

With respect to the control circuits 11b and 11C, signal storing and shifting means are provided by which signals to those circuits are retained to activate the relay 65 in due time in the machine cycle immediately preceding arrival of the master document responsible for the signal in collating alignment with the respective insert station. To this end, respective first stage signaling holding or shifting relays 69 are provided in the control circuits 11b and 11e generally in alignment with the control relay 65 of the circuit 11a. Closing of the respective circuit for each of the relays 69 causes it to close a normally open contact 70 to provide a holding circuit for itself through the next operating cycle of the machine. Storing of the signal by means of the relays 69 is indicated by the respective associated indicating lamp 64.

In the second stage, the signals are shifted by closing ofv a limit switch 71 in proper timed sequence by a timing cam 72, thereby effecting operation of a make-break relay 73 which first closes normally open contacts 74 which completes circuits to transfer the signals from the relay 69 in the circuit 11b to the associated control relay 65, and the signal from the relay 69 in the circuit 11C to a second stage signal holding and shifting relay '75, evidence by lighting of respective second stage indicating lamps 77 located on the control panel 44. Continued operation of the relay 73 opens break contacts 78 to release the holding circuits to the relay 65 in the control circuit 11a and to the signal shifting relays 69 in the circuits 11b and 11e. Since the time interval between closing of the make contacts 74 and opening of the break contacts 78 is quite short, 'a respective capacitor 79 is connected across the coils of the relays 69. These capacitors 79 are charged when the relays 69 are energized and continue to supply current lafter the break contacts 78 are opened to assure energizing of the next succeeding relay to which the signal is shifted. To prevent feedback when the make-break relay 73 is released, the capacitors 79 are polarized in the D C. line and the relays 69 will thus not reenergize upon reclosing of the normally closed break contacts 78.

Upon energizing of the second stage shifting relay 75, it closes a normally open holding circuit contact S0. Then, in timed sequence shifting of the signal from the relay 75, and deenergizing of the controlling relay 65 in control circuit 11b is effected by closing of a normally open limit switch 81 operated by a timing cam 82, thereby actuating a make-break relay 83 which closes normally open make contact 84 to close the energizing circuit of the associated control relay 65 in the next and final stage. This is evidenced by lighting of an indicator lamp 85 in a third bank on the control panel 44, showing the operator of the machine that step-by-step shifting of the signal in circuit 11c has progressed properly. In irnmediate sequence after closing of the contact 84, normally closed break contacts 87 are opened by action of the relay 83 whereby the operating relay 65 in circuit 11b is deenergized and the holding circuit for the relay 75 is broken. A capacitor 88 across the coils of the relay 75 functions the same as described for the corresponding capacitors 79.

After the signal in circuit 11e has been shifted to the operating relay 65 thereof and this relay has functioned to release the solenoid coil of its associated solenoid valve assembly 41 to effect collation of an insert from the third and final insert station 11 as called for by the master document responsible for the signal, the holding circuit for this relay 65 is opened to release the relay. For this purpose, a normally closed limit switch 89 is provided which is opened in properly timed relation by a timing cam 90.

'Each of the insert supply and feed stations 11 has a malfunction `detector device 91 operative to shut dovm the machine if an insert is not properly fed from the bin in any feeding cycle. For this purpose, the detector device 91 includes suitable detector switch means in the electrical control circuitry of lthe machine, substantially as described in said Patent 2,325,455. It is, accordingly, desirable in view of the modifications in operation incident to functioning of the control circuitry of the present invention to place the insert station detectors under the direct control of this circuitry whenever it is operating. As pointed out hereinbefore, each of the station circuit control switches 50 functions in lthe off position to close contact 52 in a detector circuit 53 to provide for continuity of normal functioning of the respective detector, while when the switch 50, in each instance, is in the on position it opens the contact 52 and thus disconnects the respective detector from normal detection. Nevertheless, it is necessary that the respective detectors operate whenever feeding of an insert is signaled to any of the insert stations. To this end, each of the control relays 65 has a nonmally open contact 92 which is closed by the relay whenever feeding of an insert from i-ts associated supply station is signaled. This closes one portion of an energizing circuit for a detector relay 93. For timing purposes, the energizing lci-rcuit for the relay 93 in each instance must be coordinated with lthe actual fulfillment of any given insert demand signal, and for this purpose normally open sets of contacts 94 maintain the detector relay energizing circuits open until a limit switch 95 is closed by operation of a timing cam 97 to complete an energizing circuit through a relay 98 for closing the contacts 94. Energization of the detector relays 93 effects closing of associated normally open detector activating circuit contact 99 and a holding circuit contact 100. In timed relation with completion of the insert feeding cycle and thus need for functioning of the detectors, a normally closed circuit breaking limit switch 101 is opened by a timing cam 102, thus deenergizing the detector relays 93 for repetition of the operating cycle.

At the master document station 10, a malfunction detector 103 (FIG. 1) functions to detect a missed card or a double feed from the document bin of such station. Since this document feed station is primary to proper functioning of the entire insert selection system, this detector remains in the normal machine control system for stopping the machine in the normal manner and uninfluenced by any modification.

When a malfunction detection occurs at the master document station 10, any false signals that may have been sent into the selection system by the scanning diodes are cancelled by closing of a normally open contact 104 which is operated by a normal machine station relay (not shown). This energizes a cancelling relay 105 to open normally closed contacts 107 to break the holding circuits for the rst stage relays 65 and 69 in the insert station control circuits 11a, 11b and 11C. All false input s1gnals are thus removed from the system.

If a miss has occurred at the master document station 10, the normal machine reset control button may be pushed to permit the machine to -try again for the missed document card 12, or such card may be manually removed from the master document bin and placed in the insert track 14, the signal punch hole positions being visually observed, and a normally open switch 108 bridging the normal reading contacts of `the appropriate control circuit being closed by pressing a switch actuating button 109 conveniently located on the control panel 44. Such manual signaling should be effected before the machine is restarted and the appropriate manual signaling push button y109 held until machine operation is resumed and automatic functioning of the selector system continues. If a double card detection occurs, either of the cards may `be placed on the insert track 14 and manual detection effected, the remaining card being returned to the master document station bin, or both cards may -be returned to the bin and the machine restarted for automa-tic operation of the selection system.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. An inserter of the ltype including a series of supply stations operatively disposed along an insert track having conveyor means for advancing documents therealong to an inserting station and `feeding means including gripper arms mounted on a common rock shaft for unison continuous cyclical movement into document gripping position with respect to the lowermost document in a stack at each respective station and movement away from the stack sto deliver la gripped document onto the insert track,

comprising means for sleectively preparing the lowermost documents in the respective stacks for engagement by the gripper arms,

and means responsive to demand signal means on documents fed from one of said stations for controlling said preparing means of the remaining stations selectively,

said preparing means comprising suction devices having solenoid valves in control thereof, and said responsive means comprising electrical circuitry controlling said solenoid valves.

:2. An inserter comprising master document supply means and insert supply means spaced' apart and provided with-conveyor means running from adjacent to the master document supply means to the insert supply means,

means for feeding master documents from the master ydocument supply means -to the conveyor,

means for feeding inserts from the insert supply means to the conveyor,

electrical circuitry for controlling said insert feedingv means selectively, means on the master documents for predetermining whether an insert is to be collated with the respective documents, means for scanning said predeterminingmeans on the master documents as fed by said master document feeding means to the conveyor to determine whether an insert is to be collated with the master document on the conve-yor,

and electrical circuitry responsive to said scanning kmeans for control-ling said insert feeding means to feed an insert from said insert supply means into collated relation with a master document on said conveyor only when signaled -to do so by said scanning means and timed with transportation of the document by said conveyor into collating alignment with said insert supply means.

3. In .an inserter including master document supply means and a plurality of insert supply means and a conveyor for transporting master documents successively into aligned position for collation therewith of inserts from the insert supply means,

means for feeding master documents to the conveyor,

respective means for feeding inserts from the insert supply means to -the conveyor for collation with master documents on the conveyor,

means on the master documents for predetermining Whether an insert is to be collated with the respective documents,

means for scanning said predetermining means on the master documents to determine therefrom which inserts from the insert supply means are to be collated with the respective master documents, and electrical circuitry responsi-ve to said scanning means to control the respective feeding means for the insert supply means for selectively collating inserts from the respective insert supply means with the respective master documents during transportation of the master documents along the conveyor past the insert supply means and timed with transportation of the master documents by said conveyor into collating alignment With the respective insert supply means. 4. An inserter as defined in claim 3, wherein said circuitry includes signal holding and shifting means operative to effect said timed collation of the selected inserts with the respective master documents.

5. An inserter as defined in claim 4, including individual control circuits responsive to said scanning means and including said signal holding and shifting means in respect to each of said insert supply means for selectively controlling the feeding means of such insert supply means. 6. Au inserter as defined in claim 5, including visual indicating means comprising lamps for advising as to the operativeness of the individual circuits.

7. In an inserter including a master document supply means and a plurality of successive insert supply means with a conveyor for transporting master documents successively into aligned positions with said insert supply means for collation of inserts therewith;

means for feeding master documents from the master document supply means to the conveyor,

respective means for feeding inserts from the insert supply means to the conveyor for collation with the master documents as the master documents are brought into successive alignment with the supply means by the conveyor,

readable means on the master documents correlated with respect to said insert supply means for predetermining from which insert supply means an insert is to be collated with the respective master document,

and means for controlling said feeding means for the insert supply means comprising a device for reading said Ireadable means as the master documents are respectively fed to the conveyor, and electrical control means responsive to said reading device including signal storing devices for each of the respective insert supply means and in control of the insert feeding means for such insert supply means operative in timed rel-ation with all of said feeding -means and with said conveyor to effect insert feeding operation of said insert feeding means only when the master document fhaving readable means calling for collation of an insert from any predetermined insert supply means reaches alignment with that insert means.

8. An inserter as defined in claim 7, including signal lamps affording visual evidence of operation of the electrical control and including respective lamps for said signal storing devices.

9. An inserter as defined in claim 7, in which said electrical con-trol includes gating means for normally maintaining said insert feeding means non-operating unless a signal has been transmitted by said reading means for collation of an insert with a master document.

10. An inserter as defined in claim 9, in which said gating means comprise respective limit switches, keying relays and cycling cams operative to control the limit switches and thus operation of the relays.

11. An inserter as defined in claim 7, including a malfunction detector for each of said insert means and electrical control means connected into said circuitry normally inactive and activated responsive to said signal storing means for the respective insert supply means to be active when the respective master documents reach alignment with the insert supply means with respect to which signal has been transmitted by said reading means to collate an insert with the master document.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,379,828 7/ 1945 Rubidge et al 270-58 X 3,071,369 l/ 1963 Ambrogi 270- 3,168,306 2/1965 Harrison 270-58 EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

NELSON M. ELLISON, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN INSERTER OF THE TYPE INCLUDING A SERIES OF SUPPLY STATIONS OPERATIVELY DISPOSED ALONG AN INSERT TRACK HAVING CONVEYOR MEANS FOR ADVANCING DOCUMENTS THEREALONG TO AN INSERTING STATION AND FEEDING MEANS INCLUDING GRIPPER ARMS MOUNTED ON A COMMON ROCK SHAFT FOR UNISON CONTINUOUS CYCLICAL MOVEMENT INTO DOCUMENT GRIPPING POSITIN WITH RESPECT TO THE LOWERMOST DOCUMENT IN A STACK AT EACH RESPECTIVE STATION AND MOVEMENT AWAY FROM THE STACK TO DELIVER A GRIPPED DOCUMENT ONTO THE INSERT TRACK, COMPRISING MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY PREPARING THE LOWERMOST DOCUMENTS IN THE RESPECTIVE STACKS FOR ENGAGEMENT BY THE GRIPPER ARMS, AND MEANS RESPONSIVE TO DEMAND SIGNAL MEANS ON DOCUMENTS FED FROM ONE OF SAID STATIONS FOR CONTROLLING SAID PREPARING MEANS OF THE REMAINING STATIONS SELECTIVELY, SAID PREPARING MEANS COMPRISING SUCTION DEVICES HAVING SOLENOID VALVES IN CONTROL THEREOF, AND SAID RESPONSIVE MEANS COMPRISING ELECTRICAL CIRCUITRY CONTROLLING SAID SOLENOID VALVES. 